Keeping Your Landscape Fountain Tidy

Every three-four months, garden fountains should have a good cleaning. The initial task is to empty out all of the water. Then use gentle and a soft sponge to clean the interior of the reservoir. If there are any tiny grooves, work with a toothbrush to get each and every spot. Be sure to completely rinse the inner surface of the fountain to make sure all the soap is gone.

Make sure you get rid of any calcium or plankton by taking the pump apart and scrubbing the inside carefully. To make it less strenuous, soak it in vinegar overnight before cleaning. Neither rain water nor mineral water contain substances that will collect inside the pump, so use either over tap water if possible.

One final recommendation for keeping your fountain in top working condition is to check the water level every day and make sure it is full. If the water level drops below the pump’s intake level, it can hurt the pump and cause it to burn out - something you don't want to happen!

The Wide Array of Designs of Water Wall Fountains

The two kinds of water features available to you are mounted and stand-alone models. Small, self-contained mounted wall fountains can be installed on any surface. One of the most important features of wall fountains is that they be lightweight, so they are normally made of fiberglass or resin to replicate the look of stone. In large stand-alone fountains, otherwise known as wall fountains, the basin is located on the ground with the flat side positioned against a wall. Water features such as these are typically manufactured of cast stone and have no weight restrictions.

Many experienced landscapers prefer custom-built fountains which can be integrated into a brand-new wall or an existing one. Placing the basin against the wall and installing all the plumbing work needs a professional mason to do it correctly. A fountain mask or a spout also needs to be incorporated into the wall. Customized wall fountains lend to a unified appearance because they become part of the scenery rather than look like a later addition.

Contemporary Garden Decor: Garden Fountains and their Beginnings

From the onset, outdoor fountains were soley there to serve as functional elements. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, from aqueducts or springs in the area. Used until the nineteenth century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their source of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from gravity. Fountains were not only used as a water source for drinking water, but also to adorn homes and celebrate the designer who created it. The main components used by the Romans to create their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly illustrating animals or heroes. Muslims and Moorish landscaping designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller models of the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to illustrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries manufactured baroque decorative fountains to glorify the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the location where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.

The end of the 19th century saw the increase in usage of indoor plumbing to provide drinking water, so urban fountains were relegated to purely decorative elements. Amazing water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.

Contemporary fountains are used to adorn community spaces, honor individuals or events, and enhance recreational and entertainment events.